The electric Fiat 500E can travel only 80 to 100 miles per charge, but its range for regulatory compliance stretches all the way from the Los Angeles auto show, where it’s debuting, to Sacramento and Washington, D.C. How wretched it must feel for these regulators that they wield the power to force major corporations into action—but only the action of building a small number of electric vehicles.

The Specs

An electric motor provides the 500E with 111 hp and 147 lb-ft of torque, beating the gasoline car by 10 hp and 49 torques, and making it the fourth EV in the U.S. with more horsepower than its gasoline counterpart. (See: Honda Fit EV, Chevy Spark EV, Smart ForTwo Electric Drive). Even with an extra 600 pounds on board from the battery pack, Fiat figures the 500E will accelerate from a standstill to 60 in about nine seconds. That’d beat the 9.9- and 11.5-second ambles we’ve recorded in the stick and automatic 500.

A battery pack sourced from Bosch and Samsung should give the 500E a range of 80 miles, but in “typical” city driving, Fiat says customers will see 100 or more. The electric version of the Smart is pegged at 87, Scion’s iQ—which is being dumped almost entirely on fleets and car-sharing programs—is said to hit about 50.

The 500E should take a full recharge in less than four hours on a 240-volt line, which is the only practical option when the 120-volt charge time is a stunning 22 hours.

Availability and Price

Fiat hasn’t begun discussing pricing yet, but we’d guess on a number around $35,000 before government tax credits, which will bring the transaction prices down to $25,000. Several of the usual Fiat 500 options are on the table, including a large sunroof. The company also will offer an e-Sport package for a—this is Fiat’s phrase—“high voltage” look. That means the absurd body kit you see in the photos, blacked-out trim, and special wheels.

For now, the 500E will be offered only in California, where the state government requires automakers to either sell a minimum number of EVs or buy “credits” from companies that have surpassed their quota. Aside from avoiding ecological indulgences, the 500E gives Fiat and Chrysler at least some opportunity to get practice in designing and building EVs, a category of which CEO Sergio Marchionne has previously spoken poorly. Taken together, these considerations will offset the loss of roughly $10,000 per vehicle that Marchionne has said he expects on each sale.

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